Bag stapler



L. A; CASPER Oct. 19, 1954 BAG STAPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1951 INVENTOR.

L A. CASPER ATTORNEY L. A. CASPER Oct. 19, 1954 BAG STAPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1951 FIG 3 &

IN VEN TOR.

L. A. CASPER ATTORNEY FIG. 4

Patented Get. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAG STAPLER Lee A. Casper, Clarksburg, N. J.

Application September 10, 1951, Serial No. 245,888

14 Claims. (01. 1-2) This invention relates to the packaging of potatoes and other commodities in bags or other receptacles and fastening the mouths of the bags in closed position by means of staples or other fastening means.

Potatoes are brought to the packinghouse directly from farms in trucks with some of the potatoes in bags and others loose. From the trucks the potatoes are deposited upon conveyors and carried to grading tables and then to the sizing machines.

After grading and sizing, the potatoes are carried on a conveyor to a weighing and packaging station where they are weighed, put into paper or other bags or containers, preferably with transparent or window sections through which the potatoes are visible.

The bags of potatoes with their upper ends open are next ready to have such ends closed and stapled in such condition.

The present invention is directed to the actual closing of the mouth of the bags and the application of staples therethrough to maintain them closed. Heretofore, bags have been closed and adjusted to handle bags of various sizes and with the stitching or stapling head yieldably mounted to move a limited amount with a ba as it is being stapled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described, employing a single motor for operating a stapling or stitching head and another motor for operating the conveying and guide belts for retaining the bags upon the conveyor.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a bag conveying closing and stapling machine constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Fig. 2 a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 an enlarged horizontal detail section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 an enlarged perspective of the guide belt and its adjusting means.

fastened in such condition by various means, in- Briefly Stated, the invention mp s bag eluding by the application of staples or other Conveying Closing d stapling mechanism fasteners through the ends of the bag, however eluding a Conveyor having an pp horizontal t manner in which t mouths of t bags run upon which bags filled with potatoes are have been fastened has not been satisfactory beplaced t e of a series f adin sta ns d cause it has been too slow and expensive, and h the pp r portion 0f the g guided by interfered with the handling of the product. e i w y disp opposed backs of belts of It is an object of the invention to provide a V-type r other configuration The e are practical Stamer which 111 quickly and tcarried to a wire stapling or stitching machine isfactorily apply staples to the mouths of filled mounted- Yieldably in Order to Permit slight bags without enlarging or tearing the apertures movement during the actual stapling operations formed by the staples as 11 as a machine in order not to enlarge or tear the openings in which is relatively simple, inexpensive, and which the Staples are locatedcapable of being produced of readily available The actual stapling operation is controlled by materials and utilizing a conventional stitcher or Spaced micro-Switches in an anvil against which stapler employs a continuous ire and the hammer 0f the stapler Operates. spacproduce taples from uch wire as needed ing Of the micro-switches requires a bag being Another object, of the invention is to provide stapled 130 travel into the stapler OI stitcher a a unitary portabl combination bag conveying sufficient distance to properly space the staple closing and stapling mechanism So that when from the edge or side of the bag. The horizontal the bags of commodities are placed thereon they v yor On which the bags are placed extends will be automatically conveyed, closed and y nd the t p in r s it h n m chanism and stapled. carries the bag beyond the stapler and discharges Another object of the invention is to provide the same where it may be picked up in any dea combination bag closing and stpaling machine sired manner as, for example, by another conhaving a plurality of stations for the deposit of veyor for loading the potatoes on a vehicle. filled bags to be closed and which bags will be With continued reference to the drawings, :1 carried along, stapled and discharged from the conventional stitcher is employed for applying machine. staples to the mouth of bags after they are Another object of the invention is to provide a closed. This stitcher is of conventional construcmachine-of the above character which can be tion and has a reciprocating plunger or hammer ID which reciprocates against an anvil H to form a staple from a continuous strand of wire carried on a spool or reel l2. The reciprocating plunger or hammer is driven in a conventional manner by a shaft l3 through a clutch M. from a shaft IS. A pulley i6, fixed on the shaft 45, is driven by a V-belt H from the pulley ill of a motor 9. The clutch i4 is operated by a yoke 26 mounted on a pivot 2| on the frame 22 on which the stapling or stitching unit is supported and is actuated by a solenoid 23 having leads 24 and 25 extending to a pair of spaced micro-switch operating elements 26 later to be described.

The reciprocating plunger 01- hammer l and the anvil H are located in opposed relation to a pair of axially disposed guides 21 and 2? for guiding and completing the closing of the mouths of the bags or other containers to be stapled. The guide 28 has an opening 28 through which the plunger or hammer moves to contact the anvil H in each stapling operation and to insure more positive contact a surface yoke or collar 3?: is built up on the inner face of the guide 2 1. This insures the proper presentation of the mouth of the bag or upper portion of the container being sealed to the pair of spaced micro-switch operating elements 26 disposed in axial relation one on each side of said opening 29, the distance between such micro-switch operating elements determining the distance of the first and last staples from the edge or side of the bag and the number of staples applied between the marginal edges of the bag is determined by the speed of rotation of the driving motor and the staples or stitcher.

The micro-switch operating projections or elements 25 are in the form of anti-friction rollers each rotatably supported by a flexible contact arm 3| with its remote end mounted in a housing 32. The contact arm 3i has connected thereto a flexible conductor 33 receiving power through a conductor 34 from a source of power, not shown. On the flexible arm is also mounted a contact 35 which when the arm is flexed makes and breaks the circuit or the engagement of the contact 35 with a cooperating contact 35 connected by a conductor 31, having a fuse 58 therein, with a second switch having similar contact 36 which engages a contact 35 connected to a conducotr 33 connected to the lead 25 of a solenoid E3, the other lead 24 of which is connected to the source of power.

It will be observed that instead of the conventional stapling unit being in its usual upright position to receive sheets to be sealed disposed in horizontal position that such unit is on its side or is rotated approximately 90 degrees so that the bags or other articles to be stapled will be disposed in upright or substantially vertical position. It will also be apparent that it is desirable that the stitcher or'stapler be supporetd in a manner to permit slight yielding or oscillating movement to permit the staple to travel with the bag and not tear the same as it is being applied.

It is also desirable that the device be com structed to accommodate bags of different height and size. Accordingly the frame 22 which car ries the stapling or stitching unit is provided with an opening 39 in which the supporting shaft 40 is located.

The shaft 49 has its ends journalled in a frame 22, the upper end of which is connected to a cross bar ii journalled on the shaft 40 and corresponding to the cross bar 42 journalled on the opposite end of the shaft.

In order to support the front end of the stapling head depending bars 43 and 44 are mounted on to opposite ends of the cross bar 42 with their lower ends attached to the stapling head.

The ends of the shaft 48 are supported by depending elements 25 and 46 carried by a rigidly mounted supporting bar 37 so that the stapling or stitching head may rock slightly on the shaft 40 as each staple is applied.

In order to resist swinging of the head compression springs 48 are located one at each side of a flange 49 on the under side of the bar 41 and between such flange and the upward extensions 43 and 44 of the posts which carry the stitching head.

In order to provide for vertical adjustment of the stitching or stapling head the end of the bar 41 opposite that on which the stapling head is mounted is provided with threads 58 which receive a vertical screw 51 rotatable by means of a hand wheel 52 for obtaining the desired vertical adjustment of the bar 41. The vertical screw 5i is supported in any desired manner as for example by upper and lower bearings 53 and 54 in the tubular support 55. This support 55 is provided with a slot 56 into which the flattened end of the bar 4"! projects and with a slot 51 on the opposite side through which the further reduced threaded end 58 projects and on which is mounted a cap screw 59. A lever or crank 60 is attached to the screw 59 for the rotation of the same.

Upon loosening the cap screw 59 the operating wheel 52 may be rotated by means of the asso ciated hand grip to raise or lower the bar 41 as desired after which the cap screw can be tightened for locking the bar in fixed relation. The parallel sides of the flattened end of the bar in the slot 55 preventing turning of the bar in its mounting.

The post 55 is attached to a base 6| which is mounted on a platform 62 by means of fasteners 63, such platform being supported on rollers or wheels 64 for convenient transportation.

The conveying and guiding mechanism and frame in which they are supported also are mounted on the platform 62. The frame of the machine comprises a series of posts 65 and horizontal rails or bars 66, the posts being secured to the platform 62 by means of brackets 61. At each end of the machine is a conveyor pully 68 mount ed on a shaft 69 carried by a bracket 1B. Around the pulleys 58 is disposed a conveyor belt H which moves along the upper horizontal surface of a supporting plate '52, such plate being supported by brackets 13 mounted on the posts 65. The upper run of the belt moves from left'to right as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The belt furnishes vertical support to articles deposited thereon such as bags of potatoes and in order to pro-- vide lateral as well as horizontal support a pair of guide belts 14 are disposed one on each side of the machine. These belts are preferably of the V-type and each has an upper run in contact with a series of opposed outwardly and inwardly spaced pulleys l5 and 16. The pulleys are in proximity to the rails 68 and the pulleys it are inwardly thereof so that by means of the pulleys 75 the opposed runs of the belts are maintained widely spaced and by means of the pulleys 16 the opposed runs of the belts at the side are caused to substantially converge as illustrated in Figure 1.

Theends of the belts 14 extend around guide pulleys H at the entrance end of the machine and then around take up V-type pulleys 18 mounted on arms 19 and under the influence of tension springs 80. At the discharge end of the machine the belts extend in parallel relation from the last set of pulleys it in contact with pulleys BI and 82 and around the conveyor pulley 68 and a second take up pulley 83 carried on a pivoted arm 84 under the action of a tension spring 85. In order to drive the horizontal conveyor H and the guide belts '14, the shaft 69 of the pulley 68 at the discharge end of the machine is provided with a pulley 86 driven by a belt 87 from a pulley 83 on a motor shaft 89 of a motor 99, the base of the motor being mounted on the platform 62.

In order to adjust the machine so that the upper runs of the guide belts are at different heights to accommodate bags of varying lengths a series of sockets 9| are provided on the side rails 66 and in these sockets are extensions or brackets 92 which may be fixed in place by looking elements 93. The upper ends of the brackets 92 have right angular inwardly extending portions 94 with extremities 95 of reduced thickness for cooperation with a similar reduced extension 96 of a pulley carrying arm 91, suchextension 96 being provided with a slot 98 through which a bolt 99 is threaded into the reduced portion 95. The pulley is mounted on a journal me secured to the end of the post 91.

The machine is a unitary portable structure which by the arrangement of the conveying and guiding belts may have a series of loading stations A B C 8; D as illustrated or more or less as desired. Bags of potatoes or other commodities deposited at such stations will be carried to the stitching or stapling head and upon engagement of both micro-switches, since they are connected in series the bag will be stapled and discharged automatically.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore this invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing or de scribed in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary portable bag conveying and stapling machin comprising a frame, conveyors on said frame for supporting guiding and advancing bags of commodities to be stapled, spacing means for the guiding conveyors providing a series of loading stations with forwardly approaching sides, a stapler adjacent the discharge end of the machine for stapling articles during their forward progress prior to their discharge, said stapler having spaced guides between which the upper ends of the bags are carried, one of said guides having a transverse opening through which a movable portion of the stapler operates, control means for the movable portion of said stapler including a pair of control switches connected in series with operating elements on opposite sides of said transverse opening to cause completion of the circuit and application of a staple relative to the edge of the bag corresponding to the spacing of said operating elements, pivotal means for supporting said stapler on an axis transverse to the path of movement of said conveyors and permitting rotative movement about such axis during each stapling operation as the bag is moving, the movement of said stapler resulting solely from the engagement of a staple with the bag and resilient means for resisting such movement, means for adjusting the height of the stapler and conveyors to accommodate bags of different heights, driving means for said conveyors, constantly operated driving means for said stapler, and clutch means for causing periodic clutching and actuating of the movable member of the stapler.

. 2. A unitary portable bag conveying and stapling machine comprising a frame, conveyors on said frame for supporting, guiding, and advancing, bags of commodities to be stapled, spacing means for the guiding conveyors providing a series of loading stations with forwardly approaching sides, a stapler adjacent the discharge end of the machine for stapling articles during their forward progress said stapler having spaced guides between which the upper ends of the bags to be stapled are adapted to be carried, one of said guides having a transverse opening through which a movable portion of the stapler operates, control means for the movable portion of said stapler including a pair of control switches and an operating element for each of said switches located one on each side of said opening and upon engagement of both of said operating elements to complete the circuit to cause operation of said movable member to thereby space the application of the staple relative to each edge of the bag stapled corresponding to the spacing of the operating elements, pivotal means for supporting said stapler on an axis transverse to the path of movement of said conveyors and permitting swinging movement about such axis during each stapling operation while the big is moving, the movement of said stapler resulting solely from the engagement of a staple with the bag, means for resisting such swinging movement, means for adjusting the height of the stapler and the conveyors in order to accommodate bags to be stapled of diiferent heights.

3. A unitary portable bag conveying and stapling machine comprising a frame, conveyor means on said frame for supporting, guiding, and advancing bags of commodities to be stapled, and having spaced side portions providing a series of loading stations with forwardly approaching sides, a stapler for stapling articles during their forward progress, said stapler having spaced guides between which the upper ends of the bags to be stapled are adapted to be carried, one of said guides having a transverse opening through which a movable portion of the stapler operates, control means for the movable portion of said stapler including a pair of control switches and an operating element for each of said switches located one on each side of said opening and upon engagement of both of said operating elements to com-' plete the circuit to cause operation of said movable member to thereby space the application of the staple relative to each edge of the bag stapled, pivotal means for supporting said stapler to permit it to swing along the path of movement of said conveyor means during each stapling operation while the bag is moving, the movement of said stapler resulting solely from the engagement of a staple with the bag and adjustable means for resisting such swinging movement.

4. A unitary portable bag conveying and stapling machine comprising a frame, conveyor means on said frame for supporting, uiding, and advancing bags of commodities to be stapled, a stapler for stapling articles while they are being conveyed, said stapler having spaced guides between which the upper ends of the bags to be stapled are adapted to be carried, one of said guides having a transverse opening through which a movable portion .of thestapler operates, control means for the movable portion of said stapler including a pair of control switches and an operating element for each of said switches located one on each side of said opening and'upon engagement of both of said operating elements to complete the circuit to cause operation of said movable member to thereby space the application of the staple relative to each edge of the bag stapled and pivotal means for yieldably supporting said stapler to permit it to swing along the path of movement of said conveyor means during each stapling operation while the bag is moving, the movement of said stapler resulting solely from the engagement of a staple with the bag.

5. A unitary portable bag conveying and stapling machine comprising a frame, an endless conveyor on said frame for supporting and advancing bags of commodities to be stapled, opposed endless belts operating in synchronism with said conveyor to engage, close and guide the upper ends of said bags, a plurality of loading stations on said frame, guides for said spaced belts maintaining the same spaced a substantial distance at the entrance end of each loading station and converging to a relatively narrow throat at the exit end of each loading station whereby the upper ends of said bags are engaged and closed at each loading station, a stapler adjacent the exit end of the last loading station, said endless belts closing and guiding the upper ends of said bags between the jaws of said stapler, control means disposed in the path of movement of said bags through said stapler whereby operation of said stapler is initiated and stopped to apply one or more staples to each bag a predetermined distance from the leading and trailing edges thereof, means mounting said stapler on said frame for movement in the direction of travel of said bags solely by reason of the engagement of a staple with said bag and means for returning said stapler to original position.

6. A unitary portable bag conveying and stapling machine comprising a frame, an endless conveyor on said frame for supporting and advancing bags of commodities'to be stapled, opposed endless belts operating in synchronism with said conveyor to engage, close and guide the upper ends of said bags, a plurality of loading stations on said frame, guides for said spaced belts maintaining the same spaced a substantial distance at the entrance end of each loading station and converging to a relatively narrow throat at the exit end of each loading station whereby the upper ends of said bags are engaged and closed at each loading station, a stapler adjacent the exit end of the last loading station, said endless belts closing and guiding the upper ends of said bags between the jaws of said stapler, means mounting said stapler on said frame for movement in the direction of travel of said bags solely by reason of the engagement of a staple with said bag, and means for returning said stapler to original position.

7. A unitary portable bag conveying and stapling machine comprising a frame, an endless conveyor on said frame for supporting and advancing bags of commodities to be stapled, opposed endless belts operating in synchronism with said conveyor to engage, close and guide the upper ends of said bags, a plurality of loading stations on said frame, adjustable guides for said spaced belts maintaining the same spaced a substantial distance at the entrance end of each loading station and converging to a relatively narrow throat at the exit end of each loading station whereby the upper ends of said bags are engaged andclosedat each loading station and a stapler adjacent the exit end of the last loading station, said endless belts closing and guiding the upper ends of said bags between the jaws of said stapler.

8. A bagclosing machine comprising a supporting conveyor upon which filled bags may be placed at aplurality of locations, auxiliary conveyors on opposite sides of and above said supporting conveyor, said auxiliary conveyors being arranged to engage the open mouths of the bags, means to guide said auxiliary conveyors so that the runs thereof adjacent the bag mouth provide sufficient spacing for receiving filled bags at each of said locations and converge adjacent each location in the direction of feed to bring the sides of the bag mouths together without danger of catching the-operator, means for adjusting the distance between said auxiliary conveyors at their closest points whereby an operator may place a filled bag and see that the bag mouth is closed Withoutdanger of injury and thereby assure that bags will be properly closed and means for sealing the bags after they pass the last of said locations.

9. The invention according to claim 5 in which the stapler is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of feed and above the conveyors and above the topsof the bags and the staples enter the bag mouths in a horizontal direction parallel to said axis.

10, A. bag closing machine comprising supporting conveyor means upon which filled bags may be placed at a plurality of stations, auxiliary conveyors on oposite sides of and at a higher level than said supportingconveyor means, said auxiliary conveyors being arranged to engage the mouths of the bags, means for supporting said auxiliary conveyors so that the facing bag engaging portions thereof provide sufiieient spacing for receiving filled bags at each of said stations andconverge adjacent each of said stations in the direction of feed to bring the sides of the bag mouths together sufiiciently toinitially close a bag so that further movement of a bag past another of said stations will retain or re store the bag to its closed condition and means for sealing the bags after they pass the last of said stations.

11. A unitary hag conveying and stapling machine comprising a frame, conveyor means on the frame for supporting, guiding and advancing bags of commodities to be stapled, a stapler for stapling articles while they are being conveyed, said stapler having spaced guides between which the upper ends of the bags to be stapled are adapted to be carried, guide conveyor means adjacent to the spaced guides for engagement with the bags adjacent the months for feeding the upper portion of the bags at substantially the same rate asthe conveyor means, bag sensing means in the path of the bags controlling the operation of thestapler, said stapler being mounted for movement so that at least a portion of said stapler may move with the bag in the direction of movement of the conveyor means and guide conveyor means during the time that each stapleis being applied whereby the bags may be continuously fed and the stapler may apply staples into the bags adjacent the mouths of the bags closing the bags and maintaining them closed retaining-commodities therein.

l2..The invention according to claim 11 and means for varying the spacing between the stapling machine and the supporting conveyor means for accommodating bags of difierent sizes.

13. A bag conveying and stapling machine including supporting structure, conveyor means on said supporting structure for bags of commodities to be stapled, a stapler for stapling the bags while they are being conveyed, spaced guides between which the upper ends of the bags to be stapled are adapted to be carried, guiding and conveying means adjacent the spaced guides for engagement with the upper mouth portion of the bags and causing movement of the same at substantially the same rate as the conveyor means, bag sensing means in the path of movement of the bags for controlling the operation of the stapler, said stapler being mounted so that at least a portion of the same may move in the direction of the movement of the conveyor means and the guiding and conveying means and the portion of the bag during stapling whereby the bags may be continuously fed and stapled closed for retaining commodities therein.

14. Bag conveying and stapling mechanism comprising supporting structure, bag conveying means mounted on said structure for conveying bags to be stapled, a stapler in the path of movement of said bag conveying means for stapling closed the ends of the bags while they are being conveyed, spaced guides for the upper ends of the bags for directing the same into proper position to be stapled, additional conveying means adjacent the spaced guides for engagement with the bags for feeding the portion of the bag to be stapled between the guides at substantially the same rate as the bags are carried by said conveyor means, bag sensing means located in the path in which the bags are moved by the conveyor for controlling the operation of the stapler whereby the bags may be stapled closed while they are carried by the conveyor.

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